Interactive Buddy

Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you know that I am working on Interactive Buddy for iPhone/iPod, and that it is in fact pretty far along and should be available in time for the holidays.

I am releasing this iOS version at the same time as the Flash version of Interactive Buddy 2, which is also pretty much done. As these are two very large projects for me, I am not setting a definite date but rather am taking a "when it's done" approach. Nonetheless I'm pretty confident I can finish and release both versions by Christmas, if not the end of this month (pending App Store approval).

The iOS version features full multitouch/accelerometer control (with interaction methods that take advantage of this), full "retina" support (native 640x960), a "conversation" engine so that the player can actually interact with the buddy through responses to his questions, and unique minigames to play with the buddy, among other features.

I have attached a few screenshots.

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

 

Right now the weapons are grab, throw, fist/punching, explode, "earthquake" (shake the device), change gravity (rotate the device), and basketballs. These are the most fun items (to me anyway), and the ones I always found myself using the most in the Flash version. So for right now they are the ones I have been perfecting and the ones that will be in the initial launch of the game. They are all enabled from the start, so right now there is no money system. It's definitely something I'd think about adding in a future update, along with more items (naturally!).

You have to understand that I am taking this in a somewhat different direction than the Flash version (and especially the Flash sequel which as I mentioned is launching concurrently with the mobile version). My goal is not to just throw in as many interaction methods as possible, but rather to make a select few feel as natural and fun as possible and to further the player's emotional connection with the buddy.

To accomplish the latter goal, the conversation system enables the player to respond to questions the buddy might ask him/her (such as "How is your day going?" etc). The buddy can remember the responses and use them to guide the conversation. There are also no menus in the game--rather, if you want to play a minigame for example, you press that question mark and actually tell the buddy you want to play a minigame, he'll ask you "Which one?" and then you tell him and start playing. Same thing if you need help with the controls--you ask the buddy and he tells you.

The Flash sequel, on the other hand, has tons and tons of items (purchasable with in-game money, like the original). You can destroy the walls of the default room and build your own world, create complicated contraptions (think Incredibots or Fantastic Contraption, except with way more possibilities and physics that are running as you build), save the scene and share it with friends, etc.

So essentially the Flash and mobile versions of Interactive Buddy (titled "Interactive Buddy 2" for the Flash version and just "Interactive Buddy" for the iPhone/iPod version) are each taking different qualities of what made the original Flash version so fun and expanding on them drastically, each in their own way. So in that sense, the two versions really compliment each other and I hope you guys would be willing to give both a try!

Regarding landscape vs. portrait--as I noted you can rotate to shift gravity, and the UI automatically shifts to the "new" top of the screen as you do this. The buttons automatically line up in a way that utilizes the space available (i.e. more horizontal space than vertical in landscape). So you get the same experience no matter which way you hold the device (including completely upside-down!).

And, no video yet-- hopefully I'll get one soon, I just need to find my video camera and I can show you guys how this game works in a hands-on way.

Thanks for the comments so far!